A blog about the inclusive Kingdom of God

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We live in a global economy, where consumer choices we make in our hometown can effect people on the other side of the world.

How we shop, how we consume matters. It is a reflection of our values, whether conscious or unconscious.

This is a message that comes through loud and clear throughout the bible;

“And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbour, you shall not wrong one another.”

“Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.”

“Don’t abuse a laborer who is destitute and needy…. Pay him at the end of each workday; he’s living from hand to mouth and needs it now. If you hold back his pay, he’ll protest to God and you’ll have sin on your books.”

“The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.”

So often as Christians, we are seen to react to things negatively, to be against things.

It’s so much better to be known for what we are FOR

Justice

Fairness

Ethics

Love

This is why we need to BUYcott, as well as boycott

Instead of making noise about what we are against and what we refuse to buy, how about making a conscious choice to promote companies and products that embody progressive biblical principles.

If enough people vote positively with their wallets, companies that promote ethical trading practices will grow, more people will be lifted out of poverty, the environment will benefit and we as consumers will not be complicit with exploitation.

God’s Kingdom is about his love being brought to a damaged, hurting world. It’s about overthrowing corrupt and exploitative systems and replacing them with ones that further the common good.

The Common Kingdom is intensely practical. It’s not ethereal, ivory-tower pontificating. It’s about identifying with those who need help, who need support, who need strengthening and empowering.

You can make a difference.

If you are going to buy chocolate, instead of just not buying Nestle, buy chocolate with the Fairtrade mark.

If you are going to buy clothes, instead of just avoiding fast fashion, see if you can find ethically produced outfits or buy second hand.

If you are going to buy cleaning products, instead of avoiding the most toxic, seek the most environmentally friendly.

If you are going to buy a book, why not see if you can find it from a charity shop.

Buycotting is a simple, intentional choice that demonstrates the values of the Kingdom.

As a closing thought, here’s Micah, a Jewish prophet from 700 BC with some timely advice….

A familiar phrase to some of you I’m sure. My church background is evangelical, therefore a key feature in my faith was believing the ‘correct’ things.

Particular doctrines or ideas were absolute truths, no negotiation.

The inerrancy of the Bible or creationism.

Unshakable.

It almost didn’t matter what archaeologists uncovered or historians discovered, what physics was telling us about the nature of the universe, or biology about humanity and the world around us.

“God said it, and I believe it and that settles it.”

I have learnt there are two big problems with this.

Doctrines I once believed to be integral and immovable are no longer that way in my mind. I have learnt about different traditions and understandings, read the bible through the lens of new life experiences and listened to wise counsel.

It’s ok to change your opinion, even if that means you disagree with those around you. This evolving understanding is an integral part of reading scripture and of faith itself.

Secondly, who decides what is ‘correct’?

If you’re Catholic, the answer is simple. For everyone else: not so much.

The appeal to scripture being ‘God’s word’ that we can just read and be ‘correct’ about doesn’t stack up. The sheer diversity of strongly held opinions within evangelicalism alone undermines that.

Does this mean I consider the bible worthless, or at best ‘life guidance’?

Not at all. I hope it means I take it more seriously.

I try to learn what I can about the society in which it was written, what it might of meant to the readers of the time and what influences and pressures impacted on the thoughts of it’s authors. This in turn helps me apply it to my life today.

Being open-minded towards scripture and its interpretation can be scary.

It is comfortable to be in a place where you agree with everyone and everyone agrees with you.

“God said it, and I believe it and that settles it.”

It can also be a straight-jacket and limit our capacity for growth.

Jesus constantly questioned the understanding of his contemporaries. His most caustic arguments were with the dogmatic Pharisees. He spoke in stories, parables and analogies. He often left his listeners to figure out meaning for themselves.

He rarely gave a straight answer. In fact he was more likely to ask another question.

About

A Common Kingdom is written and curated by me, Graham. I'm passionate about the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. I believe faith is a journey to be shared and am evermore convinced by the vitality of the inclusive Kingdom of God. This is a place where I hope to express that and I trust you will be able to as well.

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